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<br />Vol. 31 No. 30
<br />
<br />the.
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<br />
<br />JUJ.n Ul:S..:::>
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<br />e
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<br />July 27,1995 · Monument, CO (USPS 418-960)
<br />
<br />Romer's water plans are all wet
<br />
<br />"Clllurado leaders must SilV(' IIw ~lilll"S wa-
<br />ter future by oVl'rc(lmin~ lhl.~ popular mis-
<br />conception 1I1C1t illl cOllservillion reservoirs
<br />arc somehow poliLicillly jlll'lllT('Ct."
<br />- /)(lV(~ Millf~r
<br />
<br />{jOY. Rom~I"'s new 1'1:111 In ~1(1H'
<br />Snuth Plalh,' lti vcr Willer limier..
<br />Jlmllnd rur Frnltl I{unp.l'. nee. I,. i~
<br />~lIIullh.:r c,u;lly Ilivcr"iulI Iu tl\'oid
<br />~I"ilicnl "Inlcwillc wltle.' ,I~l~i~itln~.
<br />IIl.l~3d "r""u~ling energy II'P'IIIIP
<br />limilc.1 wolel'N inl" IIml "UI "I' Ihe
<br />gr'>>und. CI,lfJnItIII SIll 1111,1 hl' fil,:1 yil1~
<br />iL' unu~e.J Wes. Slope ~nuwlllcll in
<br />hi&hallilu,le",""r~"i", h..luw-cl..1
<br />IrDvby e1e1ivery IU bUIll slope. e1ur'
<br />inlthe dalnuiillg druughl cycle..
<br />^quircr rcclmr~c I. nn \In"roved
<br />cI1nce"llhUl wuuhlllllly divcrlthe
<br />5181e rhlll' il. urilcnlllced 1(' devel.
<br />"l' and usc its Ih""ucllcd Cul('r~<Io
<br />Ri~cr CUIllI'"CI w"lcr.. (^lIuifer.
<br />ure uncJcl"lrulIlII.J Slure huusc!C ur
<br />wnler IIml lire IIIII"(1"d lu Ih" '111'-
<br />I'ua:). .
<br />Duri~1 Dny I O-yenr "erlud.lhel'll
<br />ore Dilly a few short times whelllhc
<br />over..ub.crihed 1;oulh Plalle Riv-
<br />er hn. cnnuKh .urpl". w~ter ror
<br />undcrlround pumping.
<br />River waleI' mustlirsl be uealw
<br />and Ihen slowly injecled Inlo deep
<br />wells wilh hilh.enerlY pumpa.
<br />FOlliJ-ruel onorgy is alaln con-
<br />sumed when \hi. relDIi~ely .ma"
<br />amounl of water ia pumped OUI ill'
<br />Ihe around and lrealoll aallin for
<br />Urball drought ne.....
<br />MIlII of the lime \hese upon.lvc
<br />rump' would be Idle, while Colo-
<br />
<br />r;ulo's 'Jusl ul1l1,.(~lI !'h.lrc orfla..~ ('411..
<br />u1'm.ln I{ivcr i~ being p~fIIH1l1crllly
<br />ICI~lluthelrutcrul ^rilona,Nl'Vudll.
<br />nud Callforuiallrowlh Orc,,'.
<br />Waler nDwi"ll Dol ul' <:"I"r"d,,'.
<br />UIIIO"locd 1I1'per Ounlli.onl\",j.. i.
<br />" goud exoull,le of how Culurnd" is
<br />Wo.."linS ilK rcncwnhlc ~lITracc Clllj.
<br />lIemcnlS. III nil averoi" SII,,\lIlllch
<br />yeDr the U('Jpcr(1l1nnil'iil)JIctmSllln\'~
<br />unly alhool rive percellt of iu.: IOlal
<br />tunoll.
<br />1110 ulhcr '.IS pcrcenl, which is
<br />cnou>>h In "Ul"'llly melrn IlCIJYl'" rUf
<br />IWo year5. nnw, rrccly ""l "I' ol"lc.
<br />In heuvy r\lll-"rl'ycur.- 1'''1' ,,,,,".
<br />,'Ie, 1993 ,md 1995 - Ihe Uppcr
<br />Gunnison CO".UIIlCS leF. Ihan "ne
<br />pClIcenl or il. 10lal 5urrace w"lcr.
<br />WOller" hydrologists know Ihol
<br />ClIlcndD's walcr fUlure i. (hreul.
<br />ened by it. nnivc hin. agsin51 hea<l.
<br />waleI' 'lorage. Unrortunalcly, Ihe
<br />lawyCrl whQn"w eooltflIColornd....
<br />walersllalegy do not \Inde..land Ihe
<br />long-lenn lhreal ond ne<" In "Inll.
<br />build. and Ilure wct yenr rUlloff 01
<br />
<br />hi~h :Ihihuh," !ll IWIJ.ill1il.c the clIvi-
<br />1('lIIm"nlnl :md cClm.,ulic.: hcnelil!'C
<br />fcu all Cn'"rnllnn~.
<br />(~Uhl...UJII ire hlr.~~ccl with huulltiful
<br />!C.urhtl:c walel ~ In penmmenlly CII-
<br />hnrl4l":~ ill'. IlIral amJ u.-hun 8rcn~. .1
<br />also h;.~ sC"l~rnl uvcrlouke:u
<br />gIOlcicr"cilfYC" nRtural hnwl" em 1he
<br />COIIIIIICIlI:oI Uivlde lh,,1 w..uld he
<br />hle;,1 fur hi).!!. nllillldr. "lnrAKe.
<br />In ndtlili111lIc,clnUlJ:;IIIIUt.(cctiufI.
<br />1llllSe I.IT .rivt"r rC~I'''''t.ir~ would Pill,
<br />...'dc valu;.hle llou\1 \:UI\\ful, cknn
<br />P(I\~c".I{'I~rl~nlinn. ;nul wildlife I,ro.
<br />I~clion for clllirc w('Slcrn river Jll:Y!O-
<br />lems.
<br />"Il)c I1lln.n~llcw;111Ic energy eUAt of
<br />Itol11er', :lcluirer Icehnrge eoncclll
<br />will only incre..e with lime.
<br />Cnlorndo I<nde.. 1II".t 5ave Ihe
<br />,;t.tlc'!Ili .......nler (ulure by uvcrcolnluK
<br />Ihc "'~lulllr lIIi~eollccplioll Ihal nil
<br />l'cm~erynli(ln relC'TvuiB nrc some-
<br />huw p.nlilically incurrect. Some
<br />le"hnicol ill.iglll. political cllurage,
<br />and luc:11 C,WI(1p.'Rfion illl BlllhR' i"
<br />rC'1uirc,l. l>Rve Miller
<br />I'ollller Lake
<br />
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